Link Wray was one of the pioneer guitarists of rock and roll. Black leather jacket, sunglasses and a slicked back ducktail, he set the standard for early raunchy guitar slinging. Without Link Wray, rock and roll might never have survived the transition from the late 50s into the 60s, and certainly wouldn’t sound much like it has these past 50 years!

I have a link to Mike Dirnt's work with Green Day at the end of this article. For now, the spotlight's on one of the most influential guitarists in the history of rock and roll! Though most have never heard of the raw, menacing work of Link Wray (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005), he gave rock and roll one of its most distinctive guitar trademarks. From AllMusic:

“… his contribution to the language of rockin' guitar would still be a major one, even if he had never walked into another studio after cutting "Rumble." Link Wray invented the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarists. Listen to any of the tracks he recorded between that landmark instrumental in 1958 through his Swan recordings in the early '60s and you'll hear the blueprints for heavy metal, thrash, you name it.”

”Pete Townshend summed it up for more guitarists than he probably realized when he said, "He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray and "'Rumble,'" I would have never picked up a guitar...."

Armed with a 1953 Gibson Les Paul, a dinky Premier amp, an Elvis sneer, and a black leather jacket, Link started playing the local record hops around the D.C. area…. One night during a typical set, says Link, "They wanted me to play a stroll. I didn't know any, so I made one up. I made up "'Rumble.'"

”Rumble” was a “primitive instrumental” that went to number 16 on the national charts, even though it was banned in a number of cities, including New York, as it was considered to “promote gang warfare.” As it was put by the biographer in AllMusic, “if Duane Eddy twanged away for white, teenage America, Link Wray played for juvenile delinquent hoods, plain and simple.”

Here’s more from the Rolling Stone Rock Almanac:

”With its slow tempo, thick riffs and distorted guitar, the recording will much later be called ‘the first heavy metal song,’ and Wray will be credited with inventing guitar fuzztone. The story goes that Wray, piqued by his malfunctioning amplifier, punched a hole in the speaker and discovered that he liked the dirty, distorted sound it produced.”

His influence is incalculable, since it is impossible to imagine rock and roll without the power chord! So it's heavy metal instrumental time!! Without further ado, here’s the 1958 breakthrough that scared white America to its toes, the singular “Rumble”

Here’s the Man, complete with shades and his trademark black leather jacket in 1978 in a great live performance of “Rumble,” and here's Link on Conan in 1998 live doing "Rumble."

Sorry you're gone, but glad you're getting the recognition you deserve. Also very glad you rumbled through 50s America and shook everything up! "If there's a rock and roll heaven, you know they have a helluva band..." Power chords forever!

ps - In a curious turn, I just found out that Lesley Gore was born May 2, 1946. Next year I'll do a tribute to this early 60s pop talent (produced by none other than the great Quincy Jones!) who gave us "It's My Party," "Judy's Turn To Cry," "Look of Love," "Maybe I Know," "You Don't Own Me," and "Sunshine, Rainbows, and Lollipops." Link Wray, Mike Dirnt, and Lesley Gore. Wow.